250 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



was thrown overboard, containing a short 

 account of our proceedings, and the position 

 of the most conspicuous points. The wind 

 blew off the land, the water was smooth, 

 and as the sea is in this part more free from 

 islands than in any other, there was every 

 probability of its being driven off the shore 

 into the current ; which, as I have before 

 mentioned, we suppose, from the circum- 

 stance of Mackenzie's River being the only 

 known stream that brings down the wood 

 we have found along the shores, to set to the 

 eastward. 



August 23. — A severe frost caused us to 

 pass a comfortless night. At two P.M. we 

 set sail, and the men voluntarily launched 

 out to make a traverse of fifteen miles 

 across Melville Sound, before a strong wind 

 and heavy sea. The privation of food, 

 under which our voyagers were then labour- 

 ing, absorbed every other terror ; otherwise 

 the most powerful persuasion could not 

 have induced them to attempt such a tra- 

 verse. It was with the utmost difficulty 

 that the canoes were kept from turning 



